New Legends of Konoha: The Return of Kyuubi
by ImmortalDragonX
Summary: It's been 19 years since the Kyuubi attacked the ninja village of Konoha. See what happens when the Nine-tailed fox makes his triumphant return. Rated M for blood, violence, and language. NaruHina and other pairings.
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

**Hey there all. DragonX here with the first chapter of my promised new story. As I said, this story will be happening before my New Legends of Konoha which will be subtitled "Shadows of Evil" at some point down the line. Also, some events present in this story will cause changes in Shadows of Evil...but what those changes will be...you'll just have to read and find out evil grin. In the meantime, heres chappie one. Enjoy! Oh...and don't forget the reviews too. hehe.**

**I don't own Naruto, though I DO own this particular story**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

**Name:** Uzumaki Naruto

**Age:** 19

**Occupation:** Konohagakure Shinobi

**Official Rank:** Chunin

**Specialty Jutsu:** Kage Bushin, Rasengan, Futon: Rasenshuriken

**Class:** A

**Notes:** Jinchuuriki of the Nine-tail Demon Fox, Kyuubi no Youko. Unpredictable and highly unorthodox. While officially classed as Chunin, has mastered and/or created several kage level jutsu and is to be considered of at least jounin level. Rumored to have ability to access power of the demon contained within him. Engage with extreme caution.

"Wow…" said Naruto. "I actually made it into a bingo book. I'm flattered…really."

Sakura rolled her eyes at her long-time friend and companion's remark. "Naruto…get serious. This isn't funny. It means that the Hidden Cloud Village ninja are gunning for you."

"I know! I know! Sheesh, Sakura-chan, don't get your panties in a wad. I was just tryin' to make a" (WHOOSH! BOOOM!) "…..joke." Naruto managed to finish his rebuttal a few feet away after dodging Sakura's fist that left a small crater where he was standing. He'd well gotten used to their normal ritual of him making some remark that set her off followed by her usual trying to pound him into the dirt. However, as of late, he'd strangely been able avoid his lumps a whole lot easier than he used to. A part of him chalked it up to just knowing it was coming. Another part...wasn't so sure.

"Anyway, we should get back to the villagers and complete our mission now that we got their stuff back." said Sai as he examined the new wound to Mother Earth.

The rest of Team Kakashi agreed and leapt off into the direction of Hazama Village.

"Oi, Sakura-chan? Any ideas on why Kumo-nin would be after me?" asked the blond shinobi.

"…It's probably because of what happened with the attack on team 8 a couple of months ago." Sakura couldn't help but shiver a little at the memory of that day. Even Sai and Kakashi both flinched when they recalled the event.

* * *

(((Flashback: 2 months before)))

"_Maaannnn…that mission was WAY too easy! Why does baa-chan always give us these stupid missions for?!" groaned an irritated Uzumaki Naruto._

_Sakura sweatdropped. "Gee, Naruto…it isn't like the last mission we got didn't almost…oh…I dunno...get us KILLED or anything! I, for one, am grateful that a simple delivery assignment turned out to be just that...SIMPLE! So quit complaining, already, baka!"_

_:kch: "Thi-…urenai o-…eight requ…ting assista…der attack…kumo shinobi! Loca…n…oint 2955! Is any…out there!?"_

"_Kakashi-sempai?" Yamato looked to his long-admired superior. Kakashi simply looked back and nodded._

"Point _2955. That's not far from here. Sai, Sakura, Naruto! Get the lead out!"_

"_HAI!" they responded as the 5 ninja bolted at top speed to their fellow leaf comrades._

'_So much for simple' Sakura thought to herself as she glanced over to her emotionally adopted "brother"…almost expecting to see a grin of excitement decorating his face. What she saw actually surprised her a bit. He actually looked serious, almost angry, even._

"…_Hinata…everyone. We're coming. Just hold on..." _

_His voice was almost an inaudible whisper, but she caught it. 'Hinata, huh? I know they've been spending a lot of time together lately but…hmm.' A sly grin glanced across her lips. 'I'll have to grill him about this later…hehehe'_

_When they arrived, there were no fewer than a dozen Kumo-nin attacking team 8, with several more already knocked unconscious or dead on the ground. Shino and his bugs dealing with a few, as were Kiba and Akamaru. Kurenai had her hands full with another three. The four of them were surrounding an unconscious Hyuuga Hinata._

_Just as they were about to plan their method of attack, Sakura, Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato all felt a familiar and very intense wave of chakra. A wave so intense, it caused everyone in the area, to include the assault force of cloud ninja to stop in their tracks._

"_**HINATAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"**_

_Naruto had moved in a flash and was standing over the fallen Hyuuga. His eyes were two pools of deep crimson with slits for pupils, enlarged canines, and worst of all…an aura shaped like a fox with 4 swirling chakra tails. As he slowly turned to look around at surrounding ninja, he let out a blood-curdling, inhuman roar and launched himself towards his first, hapless victim. The poor bastard never even had the chance to scream as a clawed hand ripped into his throat and nearly decapitated him._

"_Oh no…not again…" Sakura had seen this before. _

* * *

(((End Flashback)))

The scene that had followed was in the simplest of terms, a bloodbath. She'd watched as a transformed Naruto had literally torn through the enemy ranks with a primal rage. She watched as the ones that dared to attack were ripped to shreds by the beast in front of them. The few that tried to flee…didn't make it very far. He showed them no mercy as he caught them all one by one and killed them with murderous fury. It was shortly after that that Yamato had managed to get in close enough to suppress the Kyuubi's chakra and return the blond back to himself.

Naruto wasn't told about what happened until a few days later. Though his friends had left out some of the more…gruesome details, they never really gave him a full explanation.The one thing he was thankful for, was that they told him the only people he attacked were the cloud ninja and he hadn't hurt any of his friends and comrades. What they didn't know…is they really didn't have to tell him. He never told them that he actually remembered bits and pieces. Fragments, really. The sight and smell of blood, the feeling of tearing flesh, screams of pain and cries for mercy.

The last clear memories he had were of his landing on a tree branch near where team 8 were fighting for their lives and seeing Hinata lying on the ground. Seeing her like that caused something inside of him to snap. He remembered thinking that the bastards had hurt Hinata and they had to pay…with their lives. After that, it was mostly a blur until he'd come to a short while later, being carried on Akamaru's back.

To his knowledge, he had gone into the 4-tailed state at least 2 times before. But something about this time was different. He never remembered anything about those times. It was as if he'd blacked out then later just…_woke up_! This time, though….he remembered, if just. And those flashes of memory haunted him. Not so much because of what was in those flashes, but more because he _had_ them.

The other strange part was…unlike his previous transformations, from what he came to learn, was that his body hadn't suffered nearly as much damage as before. That bugged him. That REALLY bugged him. Some thought it might have been because he hadn't been changed all that long and there wasn't enough time to cause significant damage. Somehow…Naruto knew better. He just knew.

'_I need answers…and there's only one place I'm gonna find'em. And as much as I've been putting this off…ugh…man…I really don't wanna talk to him.'_ Naruto resolved himself to have a one-to-one with his "resident asshole"…and soon.


	2. Chapter 2: Apartment

I know…Chapter 1 was a little on the short side…even for my taste. But…I didn't want to really get too much into the story on the first go. I've a few ideas for our lovable blond and company brewing in my brain that I want to build up to. So never fear…all my chapters won't be that short. Now…on with the tale…

IDX

A/N: Reposted for a few corrected errors and revisions. Even after you read something several times over...it's still possible to miss the little things.

Last Chapter:

'_I need answers…and there's only one place I'm gonna find'em. And as much as I've been putting this off…ugh…man…I really don't wanna talk to him.'_ Naruto resolved himself to have a one-to-one with his "resident asshole"…and soon.

**Chapter 2: Apartment...**

* * *

_Several days later…_

He'd just stepped out of his morning shower when he heard a knock at his door.

"Yeah! Hang on…be just a sec!" He glanced over at the clock next to his bed. _'8:00…Aw man…who'd be here THIS early in the freakin' mornin'?' _He quickly tossed on a pair of boxers and sweatpants and left his towel draped over his shoulders.

:knock knock knock:

'_Oh good grief…' _"Hold your horses already! I said I was-" :click, creeaaak: "-OH! Hey, Hinata-chan!"

It took her everything she had to try and keep her face from going beet red, much less stay conscious, when he answered the door. The first thing her eyes locked onto was a well toned, muscular chest. He still had a slight sheen to his body from the still-drying water from his shower with a few stray droplets here and there. It wasn't the first time she'd ever seen him shirtless…but it never ceased to take her breath away when she did. As she trailed up the lines in his chest, she caught sight of his lips, then his nose, and straight into those 2 cerulean eyes. Those eyes that she could so easily get lost in if she let herself. Oh, how she loved those eyes.

"O-Ohayho, Naruto-kun. I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to catch you at a bad time. I'll come back later." She bowed and turned to leave.

"Nah…you just caught me getting out of the shower is all. C'mon in." He flashed his famous, trademark grin and stepped aside to give her room. "Go ahead and make yourself comfy while I go back and throw some clothes on."

"O-Okay…if it's not a bother or anything" she said as she slipped past him.

Naruto couldn't help but catch a whiff of lavender as she walked by him. Nor could he help but notice her dress. She was in a pair of slightly snug jeans, a pale blue shirt with a floral design and a loose fitting white jacket that held her clan symbol on the back. Her long, indigo hair was tied in the back into a ponytail, not much unlike how Neji often kept his. He also couldn't help but notice that her jeans were just snug enough around the hips and buns areas to accentuate her form nicely.

'_Mmm…she smells good. And that butt…wow. Wait! WHAT! NO! BAD NARUTO! She's just a friend, you baka. Stop thinking bad thoughts! Damn, Ero-sennin."_

"Anoooo…so…who woulda thought? The Hyuuga clan practices casual Fridays. Learn somethin' new everyday." He chuckled, earning him a slightly confused look from the Hyuuga-hime.

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

He placed a hand on the back of his head and smiled. "Oh…it's just that I've never seen you dressed like that before. Usually I see you in your shinobi clothes or something a little fancier, or somethin'. Never really seen ya dressed down or anything."

Hearing his comment made her re-examine her attire. It was actually Yamanaka Ino's suggestion that she try the casual look if she wanted to bag a certain hyperactive ninja. She'd said it was "more his style".

(((Flashback)))

_Hinata was skimming through the dresses hanging on the rack. She was trying to find something to wear that would catch Naruto's attention and hopefully make him notice her. She'd just pulled one down and was holding it up against herself looking in the mirror when out of nowhere…_

"_That one's not gonna work, girl."_

"_EEP!" She nearly jumped out of her skin by the unexpected voice to her right. She'd been so tied up thinking about Naruto, she failed to see Ino and Sakura walk up beside her…both grinning ear to ear. "What-what do you mean? I-I just think i-it's a pretty dress. T-that's all."_

_Sakura and Ino just looked at each other then back at the ever-reddening Hinata before Sakura spoke what they were both thinking at the time. "Who…are you trying…to kid here. We all know you're trying to find something to turn Naruto's head your way. It's as plain as the red on your face!"_

_Hinata shot her eyes back to the mirror, which caused her face to redden even more when she saw how much she had already been blushing at being busted. "N-no…really…I…I…"_

"_Stow it, girl. You ain't fooling anybody here. We know better than that." It was Ino's turn to speak up. Hinata felt a sudden, but gentle pressure on her shoulder as Ino rested her hand there. "Listen, Hinata. Pretty much everybody knows how you feel about Naruto. Well…everyone except the big doofus himself, anyway. That boy is about as thick as a brick and twice as clueless. Hell…just look at how long it took him to stop asking Forehead-Girl out on dates!"_

"_Inoooo-piiig" _

_Ino completely ignored Sakura's death glare and continued. "You wanna get Naruto's attention…stay away from this fancy stuff. Save that for later. It's not really his style. He's more into the "down to earth" look, if you know what I mean. Yanno…the "everyday" style. C'mere…follow me. We'll get you into something that'll make him look twice."_

(((End Flashback)))

Hinata was starting to regret listening to Ino and Sakura. The jeans made her butt look big and her shirt was entirely too tight. Ino had also suggested a thong with a matching bra, too. She said something about the thong was so it wouldn't show a panty line through her jeans. It took some getting used to, but they weren't entirely uncomfortable. Truth be told, they actually made her feel a little sexy when she first tried them on. Now, though, she wasn't so sure she should have gone with the idea.

"Gotta admit though…" Naruto's voice snapped her out of her self-critiquing. "…It actually looks pretty good on ya. Anyway…have a seat." He said as he motioned to one of the chairs. "If you're thirsty or anything, help yourself to whatever's in the fridge. Don't got much, though. Probably just some soda or somethin'. Haven't been shopping in a while." With that, he turned back to his room and shut the door.

"A-arigato, Naruto-kun." She watched as he walked back to his room. His back was just as beautiful as his chest. With every move she could see his muscles flex just a little. Oh how she wished she could run her fingers across his skin and feel those muscles tense. _'No! Stop that! One thing at a time, Hinata!'_ After his door closed, she started wandering around his modest apartment. It wasn't big by any standards, but pretty cozy. It had a small kitchen, a fairly decent sized living room, and a single bedroom with a bath.

She'd been inside a few times before, but somehow always felt like a comfortable place. It was a little messy…but for the most part he seemed to keep it fairly clean…especially for someone that lived alone

He had a few pictures hanging on the wall, mostly of his friends. There was one of him, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba. It was a pretty old picture she noted as Kiba had Akamaru perched on top of his head. There was one of Neji, TenTen, Rock Lee and Gai. Gai and Lee were both doing their patented "nice guy" poses causing Neji and TenTen both to sweatdrop. There were a few more here and there around the place, including one she'd never seen before. It was of her, peeking out from around a tree. She figured it was probably from one of the times she watched him training…but she couldn't figure out who took it.

As she stood there staring at the picture, Naruto's voice rang out from behind the door, "So…what brings ya to my humble abode this morning, Hinata-chan?" He'd only just started calling her –chan a few months ago, but it thrilled her to no end. They had been spending more time together after the last search for Sasuke, which had ultimately ended in failure. For weeks after that mission, Naruto had become extremely depressed at failing his friend, and Sakura, again. It wasn't until about 3 weeks or so after that she'd seen him standing out at training ground 10 where he, Sasuke, and Sakura had become genin with a sad look on his face. She'd somehow found the nerve to go over and talk to him. They had started to talk more regularly after that. That was until…that day.

"Ano…I-I came over…I w-wanted to talk about…what happened…w-with the cloud ninja." She'd been told about what happened. About how Naruto and his team had arrived and stopped the ninja that had attacked them, although, she'd gotten the feeling that they'd left something out. Ever since then, Naruto had started to become a little distant at times. He never spoke about it, and he seemed to want to act as if it never happened. She could see that there was something about the incident that bothered him deeply. She'd decided to give him a little space and give him some time to himself. Time she felt he probably needed.

:thump: _'Oh no…so they did tell her. And now she's here to tell me that she never wants to see me again cuz I'm some kinda freak, or monster, or somethin'._ Naruto's blood felt like it'd just frozen in his veins. Hinata and him hadn't talked as much as they had been after that day. He felt like she was avoiding him or something. Now he knew for sure…she had been. And it was because of that damned fox his old man cursed him with.

'_**Bullshit!'**_

'_What?'_

'_**Tell her…'**_

'_What are you…NUTS!? Then she'll REALLY hate me, just like everyone else in the village does!_

'_**She won't, kit. Trust me on this one…tell her.'**_

'_Yeah? And why should I trust you off all…things!? Especially after what you've done to me!'_

**'…Just do it...'**

Hinata was mentally kicking herself. When she said she'd wanted to talk to him about it, she heard what sounded like Naruto dropping something on the floor then a dead silence. She had called out to him a few times with no answer. She was just about to open the front door and leave when she heard Naruto's bedroom door open and heard him call out to her.

"Hinata-chan…don't leave. Please. I-If you want to know…just don't leave." The tone of his voice was low, almost begging. She turned to look at him and saw that he was standing in his bedroom doorway, his left shoulder leaning against the frame and his right arm outstretched with his hand resting on the other side. His head was hung low and his hair was covering over his eyes. He looked like he was barely standing. But what caught her attention the most were tears. He was crying.

"I'm not going anywhere, Naruto-kun. I'm right here." He felt her hands gently touch the sides of his face and lift his head. "I just want to know what happened. I just want to know what's been bothering you. I-I thought if I just gave you some space, you'd go back to the Naruto we all knew. I-I was dumb to think that. Please…tell me what's wrong. I-I want to help if I can. Please?" Tears were starting to form in the corners of her own eyes. She couldn't stand to see him like this. It tore her up inside to see the man she loved with all her heart look as if his whole world was crashing down around him.

Hinata led him over to his couch and sat him down, taking a seat next to him. For a few minutes, all he could do was sob quietly. She could tell he wanted to say something, but she decided to wait until he was ready to talk. After about 5 minutes or so…

"When-when we got there…we saw all those ninja around your team. And…I saw you on the ground. I knew what they were after…or…who they were after, actually. They were going for you. I-I couldn't stand that they'd hurt someone precious to me. Or that they were trying to take her away from me. I…just couldn't let that happen."

'_I'm…one of Naruto-kun's…precious people? ...Take me away from him?'_

"…You…remember when I told you about Kyuubi…right?"

"Of course I do" It was about 2 months after the 2-team Sasuke retrieval mission that Naruto had asked all of the rookie 9 and team Gai to the training grounds. It was there that Naruto had made his ultimate confession to his friends.

(((Flashback)))

_Naruto was standing front and center facing the rest of the Konoha 11 and company. You didn't need to have a Byakugan or Sharingan to pick up on just how nervous the young man was. It was written all over his face._

'_Alright, Naruto. It's now or never.' He thought as he tried to steel his nerve. He sucked in a deep breath and began…_

"_I'm sure you all know about how 19 years ago, Konoha village was attacked by the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kyuubi no Yoko and would have been destroyed if The Fourth hadn't sacrificed his life to beat him."_

"_Of course, dummy. We all learned that back in the academy. It was part of the history lesson. DUH! Was that why you dragged us out here? To give us a refresher course on something we already knew?? JEEZ!" Ino shot._

_Ino's comments made Sakura want to rush over there and pound the Ino-pig into the dirt. She knew exactly where this was going and Ino had no idea how hard this was on Naruto right now. Instead, she resisted that impulse and walked over to stand next to her teammate and friend._

"_Can it, Ino-pig! Just hear him out!" She yelled, before her voice quieted. "This is important to him, and right now…he just needs us to listen." Turning to him, "Go on, Naruto-nii-chan"_

_He silently thanked her before he went on with his story._

"_You were lied to. The Fourth Hokage didn't defeat the Kyuubi. It was way too strong for that."_

_He gave them a moment to let the words sink in._

_It was only for an instant, but all of the present jounin, except Kakashi who already had a pretty good feeling about all of this, flinched a little as they caught onto what was going to happen._

_It was Shikamaru that spoke the question in all of their heads. "If that's true…then what happened to it? To my knowledge, it hasn't been seen since then. If it's not dead…then where'd it go?"_

_Naruto sighed, 'Well, here goes, point of no return, and all that jazz…'_

"_It was sealed away."_

"_Sealed?" several of them said at once._

_Naruto looked up and faced the Hokage Monument, particularly at the Fourth's visage. _

"_All of my life, I've been shunned and hated by most of the villagers that live here. My childhood…sucked, to put it mildly. I was kicked around, mistreated by the orphanage I stayed at, and almost killed a few times. If it hadn't been for Gramps…I'd probably be dead now. It wasn't until my academy days that I'd made at least a few friends. Shikamaru…Kiba…Choji…to name a couple. But even then, I was still so alone. You guys all had families and stuff…someone to go home to. Something I never had. And I never knew why, at least until the night I finally graduated the academy and became a ninja."_

_His eyes returned to his friends._

"_When the Kyuubi attacked, The Fourth did the only thing he could've done to stop it and save the village. He sealed it into a newborn child using the Reaper Death Seal."_

_The usually lazy ninja's eyes snapped open as he put 2 and 2 together. "It was you, wasn't it? You were the baby it was sealed inside of. You're the container…of the Kyuubi?"_

_Naruto was now staring at the ground. All he could do was slowly nod his head. _

"_Yeah…I am. After that day, I became the jinchuriki of the nine-tails. After that…I became a freak…a monster. That's the reason that everyone hates me so much." He started to cry with his last words, "And…I wouldn't blame any of you if you did the same after this."_

"_NO!" Naruto's head jerked up at the sudden exclamation. It wasn't so much the shout as much as the voice that came with it. He saw Hinata with tears in her eyes. "You are NO freak! You're NOT a monster! You're Uzumaki Naruto. That's who you've always been, and who you'll always be!"_

"_Hinata-nee-sama is right, Naruto."_

"_Neji…?"_

"_Naruto, back when we fought in the Chunin exams, you told me that fate is something that you decide. You told me that you make your own destiny. It took my defeat at your hands to teach me that, but it was a lesson that I learned well. If it wasn't for you, I would still see life in the same way today. You, Naruto, not the demon inside you."_

_Kiba walked up to the now weeping blond and put a hand on his shoulder. Akamaru followed close behind and nudged Naruto's hand with his nose. "Look buddy, I think I speak for all of us when I say…who cares!"_

_Raising his head, Naruto locked eyes with the wild ninja with a confused look. "W-what?"_

_Kiba chuckled, "It's like Hinata said…you're our friend. And no matter what, friends stick together. Demon or no demon, you're our pal, and a fellow Konoha shinobi. Sure, we might get annoyed with you from time to time 'cuz you're a dolt…but you're our dolt. None of us could ever hate you, bro."_

_As Naruto looked past him, he saw the smiling faces of all of his friends. Well…almost all of them. One person was looking down at the ground._

"_You're wrong, Kiba. You don't speak for everybody." Ino raised her eyes to Naruto, with tears forming in them. "All of us are not his friends."_

"_Ino…" He knew it. He just knew it. Someone was going to hate him for this. He could feel his heart being crushed in his chest._

_Ino just looked at Sakura, who was on the verge of pounding the blonde kunoichi 106 feet under, and nodded, which caused the pink-headed ninja's face to change to a questioning look._

"_We're all his…family."_

_Sakura smiled, and nodded in agreement._

(((End Flashback)))

"When I saw you on the ground, I lost it. Something came over me and I completely lost it. I got so mad that all I wanted to do was kill everyone of those bastards, to make their last moments as painful as possible. And that's exactly what I did. Kyuubi took over and…and…" His sobbing started anew, "…but I didn't just kill them…I slaughtered them. By the time Yamato-taichou had resealed the Kyuubi, there was nothing but blood everywhere. I had literally torn them apart. It's like I said…I-I'm a monster."

"N-No…" She gasped as she put a hand over her mouth. She knew that the cloud-nin had been stopped, but she never knew just exactly how they'd been stopped. _'So…this is why…'_

"But…that time was different."

"What…do you mean."

"It's not the first time it's happened, that the Kyuubi has taken over, but…it's the first time I remembered what happened. It's only a little, but I can still feel their blood on my hands. Feeling their...their…" He couldn't bring himself to finish the last part as he just broke down. Hinata leaned closer to him and held him in her arms as he wept.

"Hi-Hinata-chan, I-"

"Shhh…it's alright, Naruto. You did it to protect me…it's alright." She knew her words were probably wholly inadequate, but it was all she could think of at the moment.

"Hinata-chan, I…I don't know what I'd do without you. Seeing you there made me realize that I can't lose you."

Her eyes grew wide as he spoke. _"Could…could he be saying…?'_

"You've been there for me ever since we went out to get Sasuke back. You've been my best source of comfort since then. But more than that, the time we've spent together had made me start feeling something I couldn't really get until that day. I…I know you more than likely don't feel the same way, and it's ok if you don't, but…I've fallen in love with you, Hinata-chan."

She did the only thing she could think of at the moment. She lifted his head so that she was looked right into those big blue eyes of his.

"N-Naruto-kun…you have no idea…how long I've waited to hear you say that…" A tear ran down her cheek as she leaned in to kiss the man she's loved forever.

Outside, a lone Hyuuga deactivated his byakugan, and continued his walk on down the road. An almost invisible smile curled the lips of Hiashi.

Hinata left Naruto's apartment several hours later. As much as she'd wanted to stay and lay in his arms for the rest of the night, she knew she had to get home before it got too late and her father began to wonder where she was. She still couldn't believe what Naruto had said to her. He said that he loved her. Her dream had finally come true. Uzumaki Naruto…was hers and hers alone. They'd kissed several more times after that first one. The first one had been a little clumsy for the both of them, which made her giggle a little bit at it in afterthought, but each time after that had gotten a little better. She wished, more than anything, that she could still be up there with him…but she was happy in the thought that there would be other days.

Naruto watched her as she walked down the street and lost sight of her as she turned the corner, heading to the Hyuuga grounds across town. She had put him into a state of total shock when she leaned in and kissed him. At first, he didn't really know what she was doing until her lips touched his. It kind of embarrassed him that he didn't really know what he was doing, but he gave it his best shot, anyway. After they'd separated, she threw him for another loop by telling him that she loved him, too. After that, they'd sat and talked…well…mostly she talked. She told him about how she'd loved him almost since the first time she saw him at the academy. How she'd strived to be more like him, to get stronger so that he'd notice her. That most everything she did was for him. It absolutely blew him away that someone would actually want to be with him of all people, even after they knew about his secret.

As he looked out to the skyline and the setting sun, a fox walked up behind him.

"**See? What I tell you, kit? This is why you should listen to me a little more often." **Kyuubi grinned.

Naruto reached over, grabbed a cushion from the couch and threw it at the annoying beast. "Stuff it, mutt! I…I told her 'cuz I wanted to, okay? So why don't you go somewhere and lick yourself or something."

"**Hehehe…I can see we're gonna have a grand ol' time…partner"**

* * *

**AAWWWW…isn't that sweet. Normally, I usually don't go for the NaruHina development so soon but I figured what the hell. After all…there's a bit of unwritten back story there that I've left open to explore later in flashback style if I wanted to…like….4 YEARS worth…so it ain't like this is technically a "rushed" thing between them. And what's with Hiashi? Why's he spying on Hinata and Naruto. Scarier yet, why the hell is he smiling? What does the Hyuuga head have going on in that mind of his? And of course, there's the mystery of Kyuubi. You'll just have to keep reading to find out the answers to these questions and more. **

**Next Chapter: Trouble is starting to brew for our Leaf Ninja heroes. Forces are beginning to gather, pacts are being made, and plans are being set in motion. Find out who, and a little bit of why in the upcoming chapter: In the Distant Horizon…**


	3. Chapter 3: In the Distant Horizon

**Hello again everyone. First off, I'd like to apologize for such a long delay in updating this story. My computer went on the fritz and it took me a good while to get it up and running again, and unfortunately, all of my story data was stored on just my desktop (something I will be remedying in case of future issues). And even when I got my desktop back…I've been really too tired from work to really sit down and do anything with it. I will try to keep new updates coming at a reasonable pace from here on out. Again…my apologies to all.**

**Now, without further ado, I present to you, the next chapter of my little tale. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: In the Distant Horizon…**

"**So, why didn't you tell her about our new…living arrangement?"** The demon fox asked as he joined Naruto by the window.

"I'm…I'm just not quite ready for that, yet." Said Naruto as he looked to the fox that was now literally his other half, "But something tells me that we're not gonna be able to keep this a secret for long." He looked back out at the horizon. "Fuck! I am SO screwed now…"

"**Heh!"**

They stood silent as the watched the sun disappear behind the forests surrounding The Village Hidden in the Leaves.

_Somewhere in an undisclosed location…_

…Three men sat around a table bickering back and forth. The Tsuchikage, Raikage, and Mizukage couldn't really decide on what was more annoying. The fact that some unidentified person had requested their presence in a meeting in the middle of Kami's nowhere, or the fact that this same individual was late to a meeting that he or she had setup! To make matters worse…none of them were informed that the other 2 Kages were even going to _be_ there! It took a good 30 minutes before they were finally able to convince one another that not one of them had set the whole thing up to eliminate the competition.

"Tch! This is turning into a complete waste of time! For all we know, whoever summoned us here could be attacking our villages as we speak!"

"Get a grip, Tsuchi-shithead. Besides…who'd wanna take your sorry ass village? The only things there of any value are rocks and shinobi with rocks for brains."

The Tsuchikage stood and slammed his hands down on the table and stared down the Raikage. "Oh really! This coming from the man that can't seem to get his hands on one weak little girl! It doesn't say much for YOU now DOES IT! And correct me if I'm wrong but…wasn't your last attempt thwarted by a single chunin?

The Mizukage opened his eyes, "That chunin you're talking about is no ordinary shinobi. He was part of the team that took down Momochi Zabuza and Haku some 7 years ago. Plus he's even managed to take out one, or more, of the Akatsuki group. All while he was still ranked as a genin. Added to that, he's been trained by the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, as well as that he's the jinchuuriki of the nine-tail demon fox. Say what you will but, you have to admit The Hidden Leaf have some powerful shinobi."

"Which is exactly the reason why I called you all here tonight." said a voice from out of the darkness beyond the table.

The three Kages turned toward the direction of the new voice in the room. "Ah…so our _gracious_ host finally decides to show himself huh?" grumbled the Earth Kage.

"Ah…yes. I do apologize for my lateness, gentlemen. I had some matters that I needed to attend to before I arrived." came the reply as the cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows.

"Save your sorry excuses and keep your even sorrier apologies!" the Tsuchikage barked. "All I know is that you better have a good reason for calling us all here to this rat hole and making us wait, and you better make it quick. My patience is already at its limit from having to sit here with _these_ two!"

"As I said, The Village Hidden in the Leaves is the reason I've summoned all of you here tonight. Or…more to the point…the _destruction_ of The Village Hidden in the Leaves…is why you're all here tonight."

The room fell silent for a moment before the Kage of the Stone Village erupted into a fit of laughter. "HAHAHAHAA! Oh now _that's_ rich! The little masked stranger thinks he can take out the Hidden Leaf! more laughter" After a few minutes his laughter finally died down to a light chuckle to himself. "So, just how do you intend to pull off this little fantasy of yours? Surely you know of the debacle that was the Sound and Sand villages' attempt."

Unfazed by the Tsuchikage's laughter, he continued. "As the Mizukage stated, Konohagakure does indeed have some very powerful shinobi in its ranks. Even with Uzumaki Naruto not withstanding, there are still numerous, and prominent, ninja within the village that could, and often do as many have found, to be quite formidable. Some of whom have their own Akatsuki kills to their credit."

The man leaned forward and placed a scale covered hand onto the table top, his other reaching for the hood that covered his head and face. "And as far as my memory of the result of the Sound and Sand Villages' attempt …I remember _exactly_ what happened that day" responded Yakushi Kabuto. "I was there…" With that he removed the cloak he had been wearing up till now.

Though hardened by their respective trials they had faced on their way to becoming village leaders, the three Kage's couldn't help but be a bit taken aback by their host's appearance. Every inch of his exposed skin was covered in white scales. His left eye possessed a slitted pupil, while his right remained relatively normal looking, aside from a very odd coloring which they couldn't even come up with a name for. Around both eyes were the markings that Kabuto's former lord and master Orochimaru had. By all appearances, he had become something more monster than human. Kabuto only smiled grimly at their reactions.

"Good…now that I have you attention, gentlemen, I'll continue. Yes…you're right about our last attempt's complete and utter failure. No doubt about it. Allying ourselves with Sunagakure was our first mistake. Their military strength was already dwindling at the time and too much of the plan hinged on a single shinobi that they couldn't even control. Plus, we had also severely underestimated the strength of the Hidden Leaf's forces. Of course…we cannot dismiss the possibility that the obsessions that Lord Orochimaru possessed may have had some role in the plan's failure, as well."

"That's a keen observation and all but, I think I speak for all of us here when I say…what's this all have to do with us?" spoke the Mizukage.

"Quite simply…I want your help in destroying the Village Hidden in the Leaves, once and for all. I would have thought that was pretty obvious at this point. Konoha is far too powerful a village for a single rival, or even two, to defeat. But four…four could stand a chance." Kabuto replied.

The Mizukage simply nodded. "It was…I simply wanted to be sure that was your intention. However, aren't you forgetting the alliance of the Leaf and Sand? Since the Fifth Kazekage's induction and with aid of the Hidden Leaf Village, their strength is returning to what it once was. If they were to get involved, then what you intend to do would be that much more difficult."

"And if things go as I plan…they won't even know until they see the fires all the way in Suna…and by then…it will be far too late. However, rest assured, I've already accounted for that possibility and have a plan for them as well."

The three shinobi leaders settled back into their seats as they thought and considered the offer. What the young man, or rather what was left of him, was suggesting was no small feat, and not something to be considered lightly. The Hidden Leaf had more than proved its strength during the last great ninja war, and it's accomplishments since could not be ignored. Sealing a powerful Bijuu, repelling an invasion by 2 shinobi villages, even if it had been at great cost, namely the 3rd Hokage, and even defeating several members of the Akatsuki group. These were achievements worth taking into account. And then there was the Sand Village. Gaara of the Desert was a fearsome opponent who's power had only grown exponentially after taking part in the failed attack against the Leaf, to say nothing of their growing military strength.

The Raikage's voice broke the silence. "What's in it for us, aside from the obvious elimination of the leaf?"

"Well, for starters, you can finally get your hands on a Hyuuga." Kabuto stated matter-of-factly. "Beyond that…I leave to your imaginations, gentlemen."

"And what's in it for you? Surely there's something YOU want out of all of this." said the Tsuchikage in a much calmer tone than he'd been using until now. "I'd find it hard to believe that you wouldn't want anything out of this deal."

"…" Kabuto silently raised his hand before his face and stared at it for a moment. "It is my wish to surpass Orochimaru (notice he didn't say "Lord"). I plan to succeed where he failed. But yes, you're correct. There are a few things I desire from this. None of which you need to know right now."

He returned his full attention back to the three men at the table. "So, gentlemen…what do you say?"

The Raikage, Mizukage, and Tsuchikage, looked across the table at each other, then back at their host. All three of them nodded.

"We're in."

Beneath his mask, the Mizukage's lips curled into a sly smile. _'Perfect…with this I can kill two birds with one stone.'_ Uchiha Madara couldn't have planned for this opportunity if he'd wanted to. This could finally be his chance to utterly destroy the leaf and ensure that Sasuke would remain his. "So, what's this plan you have in mind…Lord Kabuto…?"

As Kabuto explained his plan to the three ninja leaders, a young fox sat hidden in the shadows and listened as intently as the others. His orders had been clear: to follow and monitor the new leader of the Hidden Sound. Now it seemed, the threats that his master had instructed him to watch for were beginning to reveal themselves. He would need to report this, and soon. But for the moment, he lay still and observed. He needed to gather as much information as possible before returning with the news.

_Back in Konoha…_

…A certain blonde shinobi yawned as he stared down the bane of his existence. If he wasn't already so tired…he'd be all over the mangy mutt like a tick on a dog…no pun intended. Instead…

"…Mind telling me again, before I neuter you, why you dragged me out here into the middle of the woods in the middle of the night?"

"**Training, Kit."** Was the kitsune's simple reply.

"Training? …TRAINING?! Don'tcha think something like that coulda waited till…I dunno…MORNING?!"

"**That depends…you feel like you're ready to run through the village yelling 'HEY! Me and the nine-tailed fox are fused now and he's gonna teach me demon stuff!!' yet?"**

"Wha-? HELL no I ain't gonna be doing that! You gotta be totally crazy!"

"**My point exactly, Kit. So for now…any training you get from me is going to have to be in secret…and the best time to do that is at night away from prying eyes. And believe me, brat, you're gonna need a lot of training now. You've got my powers now, and if you don't learn how to use'em, you're either gonna get yourself, and me, killed, or someone else…or worse." **

"Whattya mean 'worse'?"

"**You really don't wanna know."**

Kyuubi looked up through the canopy at the stars peeking through the leaves of the forest trees.

"**But…I think you'll do fine. You've grown, you know."** ,he said with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

'"Huh? What're you talking about, dog breath?" Naruto hadn't expected the fox to say something like that.

"**I've watched you since you were an infant. I've seen, felt, heard, and experienced everything you have. Every joy, every pain, every success, every screw up…every laugh and every tear you've ever had. I've watched your whole life…and through it all, you know what I've seen? That you've grown into a capable shinobi over the years…and into a good man, as well. Of all the people in this world for me to have to give my powers to, I can at least take comfort in knowing it's you. I know you'll use them well…and hopefully wiser than I have. I think you have what it takes." **

After a few more moments of his star gazing, he snapped his attention back to his prison turned second self and protégé.

"**Alright…enough with the mushy shit…let's get to work."** And with a growl and a wicked grin, he lunged straight at an unsuspecting Naruto.


	4. Chapter 4: Enter ZanzuiSensei

YAY! Chappy four!

I don't own Naruto…blah blah blah…you get the drill. Enjoy!

* * *

"**Alright…enough with the mushy shit…let's get to work."** And with a growl and a wicked grin, he lunged straight at an unsuspecting Naruto.

**Enter Zanzui-Sensei…**

* * *

Naruto had barely enough time to dodge the attack, or at least that's what he thought until he felt a stinging sensation from his chest.

'_Holy shit! That damn mutt is seriously fast!'_

"Dammit, Kyuubi! What the hell!? You tryin to rip my heart out or something??"

"**Heh…of course not. …Well…maybe just a little…" **The kitsune grinned. **"Let's get this straight…we're not here to play nice-nice. We're here to get you up to speed on your new powers. Powers I've had countless centuries to master…but seeing as how we might not have that kind of time…you're going to get the crash course in Demon 101. And the first thing we're going to work on is getting you used to your new body."**

"New…body? What are you talking about?" Naruto patted him self down like he was searching himself for weapons.

"**Figures you wouldn't get it. Haven't you noticed that something has been different with you in the past few months?"**

"Well, a little, I guess. Sakura hasn't really been able to hit me as easily as she used to but...I thought that I was just getting used to expecting it or something."

"**Well…that could be part of it, yes...but it's mostly due to the changes your body has gone through because of the fusion process. Your body isn't completely human anymore."**

"Oh…ok. …Wait-WHAT?! Whaddya mean 'not human anymore'?? What did you do to me?!"

Instead of answering, Kyuubi bolted straight at the blond and attacked once again. Naruto barely managed to dodge a set of claws that would have taken his head clean off.

"**I knew from the start that there was no way that your body could have contained my chakra without the aid of that seal your father locked me behind. My little "outings" proved that much. So, during the fusion process, I was also using my powers to alter your body so that my chakra wouldn't kill you."**

"…Is that why it didn't hurt me as much when I killed those cloud ninja attacking Hinata?"

"**Exactly, although at the time, the process wasn't completed yet so your body wasn't fully prepared for the massive burst you got. And to be honest…it won't be anytime real soon when you'll be fully able to access all my…our…power without risk."**

"Huh?" Naruto gave the kitsune a questioning look. "But…I thought you said that you changed my body so that I could handle it. Now you're telling me it still won't? What gives? Make up your damn mind!"

Naruto decided it was his turn to go on the offensive before the fox launched another attack. He shot forward at a speed that he never knew he was capable of and swung a roundhouse kick straight at the demon's head. Kyuubi only smirked as he deftly ducked his head under the attack and swatted the boy with one of his tails. To his surprise, and some degree of pride, the young blond managed to spin with the counterattack enough to land on his feet and resume his assault. A punch was thrown, blocked with a tail and countered with a front claw strike, only to be stopped by a foot followed with the other foot sent to the ribs. The melee was in full swing as the conversation continued.

"**It's on-going, Kit. I managed to toughen you up enough to withstand about 20% of my chakra in your current state without harm. That's roughly about 2 tails worth of power. In your altered state however, it's closer to 40%...or 4 tails. As time goes on and your body changes more, you'll be able to access more and more of my power safely, but again, I don't expect that you'll be able to access all of it for quite some time."**

Naruto ducked under another tail swipe, only to be hit full brunt by the kitsune's shoulder charge and sent flying head first towards a tree. _'Kusooo…'_ He managed to flip around and hit the tree feet first and springboard right back. Behind him he heard the tree crack and groan from the impact. The more he fought with the fox…the stronger he felt himself getting. Naruto could see everything around him so much more clearly than he ever could. The images were crisper, more vivid. He saw a leaf hanging in the air, as if it were frozen in time. Only he and the fox moved. The world was standing still.

"What are you talking about. 'Current state…altered state' What the fuck is that supposed to mean? And just WHAT THE HELL AM I!?"

There it was! An opening! He could see it. The fox left himself wide open on his left side. Naruto hit the ground, bounded off a nearby tree, and launched himself like a rocket straight at the beast, landing a kick to the fox's side, causing him to slide back on all fours some six yards or so.

"HAH! Got you!"

"**Heh…not too shabby, Kit. I guess the warm-up is over and we can get a bit more serious"**

Naruto did not like the sound of that one bit. He liked that the fox has just vanished even less…and he REALLY hated the sudden pain in the middle of his back. The face full of tree just topped it all off. Like soggy asparagus on cold ramen. Mmmmm….raaamen.

"**If you're done flaunting your dendrophilia, we can continue."**

Naruto just turned himself around and leaned against the tree while the pain in his back slowly subsided.

"Oh shut it fox before I slap a muzzle on you and take you to the vet. And…are you gonna answer my question or not. Just what the hell did you turn me into, Kyuubi? And what did you mean by the current and altered states crap?"

"**Ah…still on that, huh? Well, ok…if you insist. Because of our fusion, you are, for all intents and purposes, a hanyo, Kit, a half-demon…in a sense, anyway."**

"A WHAT!? You mean that instead of just being CALLED a demon…I AM one now?? Oh this just keeps getting better and better! This is just what I need right now. I finally get people to respect me for me, I find friends that would risk their lives for me, finally get the girl of my dreams before I even knew she WAS the girl of my dreams…and then BAM! 'Hey Naruto! Guess what? You're a real life demon now! Sorry to rain on your parade! Have a nice, freakin' day!' GEEZ! I must have all the luck in the world!"

"…**You done yet?"**

"…Yeah…pretty much."

"**Good…as I was saying. Basically, in a rather unusual fashion, you're a half demon now. Part human, part…well…me. However…right now, you're more human than anything with just a touch of demon mixed in. If someone were to sense your chakra right now, it would feel like the chakra of a human shinobi. That is your normal state. You look human, smell human, and would pass as a normal human by pretty much everyone in pretty much every way. **

**In a lot of ways you're much like the way you were before the fusion…aside from the fact that you're stronger, faster, and a bit tougher than you used to be. Oh…and more chakra too…and your sense are sharper…and your reflexes are enhanced…and a few more tidbits here and there.**

**Your altered state is where your hanyo nature manifests itself completely. Your physical features will change, your chakra will take on a completely different feel and increase dramatically, and your abilities will increase exponentially."**

Naruto bounced what the fox had said around in his head. It was a little weird to him, but in some strange way it kind of made sense.

"OK…if I'm getting this right…I'm still kinda human right now…and yet I'm not at the same time. But…I can change into something that's not."

"…**Something like that."**

"And…if I change, I'll get even stronger than I am now."

"**Correct…"**

"OK…with you so far. Why do I have two forms?"

"**Hm…kind of surprised you asked that. Guess I didn't give you enough credit. Because I sealed your hanyo form, mostly for your protection until you mastered it, and partly so that you could still live your life normally…or at least as normal as your life gets anyway. And before you ask…no…I won't teach you how to change just yet…not until I think you're ready."**

"…Kyuubi-teme…"

"**Oh…and there's one more thing, Kit. Stop calling me Kyuubi…my name is Zanzui. It means "crimson" in kitsune speak."**

* * *

"_Oh…there you are. I've been looking all over for you, Tashui."_

_She knew that voice well. His gruff, yet gentle tone always seemed somehow soothing to her sensitive ears._

"_I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I…I just had to get away and be alone for a bit."_

"_It was them again…wasn't it?"_

_She nodded slowly in reply, earning her ears a not so subtle growl from her mate._

"_Stop that…it's ok. You should know that I'm used to it by now. It just gets a little hard to deal with sometimes…but I'm fine. Really…I'll be alright."_

_The man only sighed quietly as she felt him nuzzle himself into the side of her neck. He felt so warm against her, so comforting. She knew as long as he was there, she could withstand anything._

"_You're too soft-hearted for your own good sometimes. You know that…right?"_

"_Maybe…but that's why I have you, my love"_

"_Always…"_

* * *

' _**I'm impressed…the boy's a fast learner when he wants to be. He's actually starting to give me a bit of sport here.'**_

Naruto shot a kick to the left of Zanzui's head and hooked it around to bring his heel to the back of the kitsune's skull. The fox lowered his head, avoiding the attack, and sent a tail at the blond's supporting leg with the intent of sending him down. Naruto, however, was having none of that. Instead, he altered the path of his kick and sent it downwards in an axe kick, pinning the tail to the ground.

"Nice try, Kyuubi, but I saw that one coming a mil-" WACK! (tumble tumble tumble) slam!

"**Stupid boy! I have nine tailes…remember? And you ever step on ANY of them again I'll eat you! …Still though…you're seem to be getting the hang of some of your new abilities."**

The fox let out a yawn and stretched a little.

"**Well…I guess we should be calling it night. But, I'd say you've done pretty good for our first go-round."**

"Hehe…ya think?"

"………………**..No. Good night."**

The last thing Naruto saw was the fox's wicked grin before he vanished into thin air.

"Kyuubi-teme…"

WACK! Thud

"**I told you to stop calling me that…my name is Zanzui."**


	5. Chapter 5: A New Day, New Missions

**Well, here it is, folkz, chapter 5. I had originally had some of this typed out already with the intent of making it chappy 4…but decided otherwise when I had a few other ideas pop into my head. Hope you guys enjoy.**

**Chapter 5: A New Day, New Missions… **

* * *

If it had been anyone else…they'd be dead right now. Very few people could take a punch from the Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village full on and live to tell the tale. Thankfully for him, he was one of those few people.

Tsunade stood in her last attack position; her arm outstretched with a smoking fist. The look on her face was one of unmistakable irritation as she peered through the four, man-sized, and shaped, holes in the walls near the women's bath house. At the end was a man with wild, white hair, practically wrapped around a light pole with a rather large lump forming on the back of his head.

"I really wish he would grow up one of these days. I'm getting tired of having to do that every single morning. …Pervert."

As Jiraiya slid slowly back down to terra firma, people passed by completely unfazed, going about their daily routines as if nothing happened.

…Just another day in Konoha.

* * *

At the training grounds within the confines of the Hyuuga Estate, Hinata was busy with her own morning routine. Her prowess with the Byakugan was still far behind her cousin's, and her fighting skills were still lacking. She had to get stronger, she just had to. She had to find a way to catch up to Neji.

Even though she and Neji had become much closer over the years since their fight during the chunin exams, more like brother and sister than cousins, she still viewed him as a sort of rival. Or perhaps more like a goal…a personal measuring stick to compare herself to. Neji had become the pride of the Hyuuga Clan, a fact that she was very proud of, yet she still saw herself the unworthy heiress…the weakling.

He'd taken their kekkei genkai to new levels and his fighting ability was top-notch, mastering skills and jutsu normally restricted to main house members and even creating entirely new ones. And ever since her father began personally training him, his skill grew by leaps and bounds. Whether Neji knew it or not…he was a source of inspiration to her, much like Naruto in some ways. His ability was something she strived for.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the last voice she expected to hear.

"You seem to be getting better, Hinata. It appears that I may have been mistaken when I left you in the care of Kurenai all those years ago."

Hinata stiffened up at the voice of her father before she turned to greet him.

"Oh…g-good morning, Otou-san. …Wait…w-what did you say?"

Hiashi seemed to ignore her question as he sat down at a nearby bench. He looked at her with that same look he'd always given her; one of cold indifference.

"Hinata, come. Sit down. I have something I wish to discuss with you."

As she sat down, she couldn't help but notice an odd scroll she'd never seen before resting in his lap.

* * *

"Hey, old man! Have you seen Naruto this morning?"

Teuchi nearly jumped out of his skin when Kiba popped his head through the shop curtains and practically yelled at him from the top of his lungs. Fortunately, he didn't have any customers at the moment, so at least there wasn't a mess to clean up, too.

"Hmm…now that you mention it, I haven't. That boy is usually in here by now ordering god knows how many bowls of ramen and working poor me and Ayame half to death trying to keep up! Haha!"

"Damn! 'Kay…thanks! Later!" And just like that, he was gone.

'_Hmm…I wonder what that was all about. And just where IS Naruto? It's really unlike him to not have been here already. Ah well…back to work.'_

"Damn damn DAMN! If I don't find that pain in the ass soon, Tsunade-sama is gonna have my balls in a sling, for sure. DAMN you, Naruto…where in the hell ARE you?!"

Kiba had the unfortunate luck of entering the Hokage's office to deliver some clan reports from his mother to her. Nothing new there…he'd done it several times before. His mom always said stuff like "If you're gonna take over this clan…you need to get yourself into the habit of doing things like this." He knew it was bullshit. She just didn't want to get off of her ass and go herself. But, she was his mother…what could he do? This time…he walked into it big time.

(((Flashback)))

"_Lady Tsunade, here are the wee-"_

"_KIBA! I want you to go out and find Naruto, RIGHT NOW!!" _

_The Hokage's desk audibly groaned when Tsunade slammed her fist down on top of it. Kiba was sure if those four legs could move, it'd be running out of the room right now yelping like a dog with his tail cut off._

"_Um…ma'am? But…I just came to give you these reports…?"_

(((End flashback)))

What happened after that almost made him wet himself.

"Man…that woman is scary when she's fired up like that, eh Akamaru?"

Akamaru barked in response. Kiba's poor ninja dog actually HAD lost his bladder control and peed on the Hokage's floor. That…really didn't help much.

* * *

'_Oh man…that was one of the worst nights of my LIFE! I think that stupid fox tried to KILL me, last night. Worst. Night. EVER!'_

Naruto groaned as he worked out the stiffness in his muscles from his late night "sparring session", as Kyuubi…er…Zanzui…had called it, though he thought of it as more like a near massacre. He'd learned very quickly that the kitsune was not going to be a kind, gentle teacher, but rather a master of torture and torment. True…some of the stuff the fox did was pretty damn cool, but it would have been much cooler if he hadn't been on the receiving end of any of it.

After wiping out off the crud that always seems to form around your eyes at night, Naruto finally sat up and took stock of where he was. He was still in the middle of Konoha Forest, where Zanzui had taken him last night to "train". And it was already past 11 o'clock. "Oh man…I musta just passed out where I stood. Geez…"

!!! "KUSOOO!! I forgot about the mission!! Daaammmnnnn….Tsunade-baa-chan is gonna kill me!!!" Naruto quickly gathered himself and took off like a shot towards the Hokage's building!

_30 minutes later…_

Naruto was nursing a newly swollen cheek and lump on his forehead, courtesy of Tsunade and Sakura respectively. It was bad enough that the old crone clocked him one as soon as he got in the door for being late, but Sakura crowned him for falling asleep during the briefing!

"Geez, Sakura-chan. Did you have to hit me, too? It's not like Granny's punch ALONE didn't hurt enough, yanno!"

"Well…if you weren't trying to fall asleep standing up…I wouldn't have _had_ to hit you, baka! And by the way, what were you doing last night to make you so tired?"

Naruto had to think fast. "Uumm…training?" He mentally kicked himself. _'Oh yeah…like that's really gonna fl-'_

Sakura just shook her head. "Yeah…that sounds about like you. Once you get started on training, you just forget about everything else."

'_Wow…I can't believe she bought that!'_ thought Naruto.

'_Wow…I can't believe she believed that…'_ thought Sai.

Over the years, Sai had learned to see through many of Naruto's ruses, though his friend still did often confuse him. He'd learned a lot about friendship and connections during his time with Naruto and Sakura as part of Squad 7, but he still had a ways to go before completely understanding them. Even still, he knew his friend was hiding something, but decided that now wouldn't be the best time to pry.

Besides, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed. He couldn't be sure how many and how far behind they were but whoever he/she/they were, they were very good at remaining hidden. He couldn't sense any chakra at all, and the only thing he would ever see was like catching a mirage from the corner of your eye. Turn to look at it, and it's gone.

"Something wrong, Sai?"

"I thought…No…It's nothing, Kakashi-senpai. Just keeping an eye out, that's all." He replied with his well practiced smile.

Kakashi knew better, but decided it to leave it at that…for now. He had a feeling this mission was going to turn out to be an interesting one, to say the least.

* * *

Hinata almost couldn't believe it. As far back as she could remember, this was the longest time she'd ever sat down with her father and had a civilized conversation with him. Not once did he make a degrading remark or comment as to her "less than acceptable" performance. Even still, she couldn't help but retain some degree of nervousness around him. She felt that the tide could turn at any moment. That this brief moment of father/daughter setting could end at any mo-

"Tell me, Hinata…what do you remember of your mother?"

"Father?"

"You're mother…how much of her do you remember?"

She sat and thought for a few moments, trying to recall what few memories she had of her. She was still just a little girl when her mother passed away.

"I remember her smile. It was always so warm and caring. And she always knew what to say to cheer me up whenever I got sad. She was the nicest person I'd ever known."

Hinata looked over to her father.

"Why do you ask? We've never talked about mother since she died, and I've never heard any of the other clan members mention her either. Why is that?"

"Your mother was a strong woman, Hinata. Strong in her will, and strong in her beliefs. She advocated for changes in our clan that displeased the elders greatly, although they could do nothing to her due to her status as my wife. All they could do was to block her every move to keep things as they have always been, which aggravated her to no end."

"What kind of changes? What could be so bad that the elders would try so hard to stop her and not let them happen?"

"The clan's usage of the Caged Bird Seal for one…she hated that mark. She thought it cruel to brand so many of our clan with it and turn them into "lesser" members. To her…we were all Hyuuga. No greater, no lesser than one another."

Hinata had to agree with her mother's stance. She too, detested that accursed seal, and wished for nothing more than to find a way to rid her clan of that loathsome mark forever.

"OK…but even if the elders didn't agree with her…why doesn't anyone ever mention her? She was your wife, after all."

It was a rarity for her to see any kind of expression on her father's face beyond his normal indifference. But…for just an instant, his demeanor faltered and his usual coldness broke. It was a look of both sadness and anger.

"They forbid it. After her passing, the elders decreed that no member of the Hyuuga clan so much as mention her name, and that she was to be forgotten. Of course, no one could ever forget such a woman."

The more she heard, the more she disliked the clan elders, not that she'd grown to be particularly fond of them to begin with.

"They did that just because they disagreed with her? That's cruel!"

"That was only one, out of many reasons."

Hiashi held up and showed the scroll he had holding to Hinata.

"This was another reason."

She gave her father a questioning look. What could be in that scroll that could have been so terrible?

"Father?"

"The clan elders believed that only the strongest of our clan should be able to lead it. That goes for both the clan leader and their spouse. Your mother was much like you in many ways. Her skill, as yours, in our Gentle Fist was what they considered to be 'wholly inadequate for her position'. So she did what they thought was adding insult to injury. She created an entirely new fighting style based upon the Gentle Fist. To them, this was a disgraceful act to Hyuuga tradition. An unforgivable sin."

Hinata couldn't believe her ears. Her mother…created a fighting style?

"She…did?"

"Yes. She called it the Gentle Dance of the Hazy White Moon. It combined the principles of the Gentle Fist taijutsu with her own unique set of movements. The end result was graceful, dance-like style that could effectively and simultaneously defend and counter-attack from virtually any and every direction."

Hiashi took one of his daughter's hands and placed the scroll in it. He smiled as she looked at it with wonder.

"Gentle Dance was never a proven taijutsu, your mother passed away shortly after she felt it was completed. But…I believe that it would have been an equal to Gentle Fist…if not superior on some levels."

"Really? But…then why give this to me? I'm-"

"Hinata! Do NOT finish that sentence!"

Hinata jumped at her father's sudden harshness.

"G-gomen, otou-san." She said as she lowered her gaze to the grass.

"It's my fault you feel that way, Hinata. But I'm going to do what I can to rectify that mistake. I'm going to teach you your mother's style. You're going to learn the Gentle Dance, and prove it's worth, and yours, to everyone."

"You're going to teach me? But…I thought you said mother created it?"

Hiashi cracked a sly grin as he leaned down to her ear and whispered…

"Who do you think helped her make it?"

Hinata smiled.

* * *

The hours passed, as they always do, and the sun eventually set over the Hidden Leaf Village. People said good nights as the retired to their homes and families and settled in for the night.

Some in the village could hear a voice as a lone man and his faithful companion wandered the streets.

"DAMN YOU, NARUTO! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUUU!?"

* * *


End file.
